Greek Bronze Olpe

Comprising a wide and shallow body with everted rim; the internal wall and the upper face of the rim decorated with a procession of nude men in knielauf position, some holding a lituus in their left hand with their right hand raised up towards the sky, the other figures with both of their hands raised up, the figures alternating with figures of lions and antelopes; rosette to the centre. 9.4 kg, 44.5 cm wide



Acquired on the European art market in the early 2000s. with Galerie Rhéa, Zurich, Switzerland. Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D’Amato. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.12776-237862.

As can be discerned from the identifying marks under the vessels, Caeretan craftsmen used the potting wheel to produce the braziers, a technique introduced in Etruria in the 8th century B.C. They were usually decorated with one or more stamped friezes rolled onto the clay with a large cylindrical matrix before firing. The subjects of these friezes were adapted by the Etruscans from Near Eastern and Greek prototypes. Today, these braziers are found in chamber graves, but they were used in the daily life of Etruscans in domestic and sacred contexts, and employed as portable hearths. A famous example came from the Tomba Maroi III in the Banditaccia Necropolis at Cerveteri, now in the Museo of Villa Giulia, Rome (Pieraccini, 2003, fig.10). It was found perched on a stone seat, and within the burned brazier were burned remains, several eggs and three drinking cups.

With a bulbous body and low basal ring, tubular neck with pinched trefoil spout and a wide strap handle to the rear; the body decorated with densely arranged circumferential bands, a panel of Greek key motifs on the neck, the handle with horizontal stripes and a central X-motif. 735 grams, 23.7 cm



Swiss private collection, 1980-1990s. Private collection, Bern, Switzerland. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12654-236373.

These kinds of geometric oinochoai almost always had spherical bodies, cylindrical necks with trefoil mouths and strap handles from rim to shoulder. They are typical of Attic workshops of the Middle Geometric period (800-750 B.C.).

Hollow-formed statue showing a young shepherd wearing a short tunic and hooded cloak, holding an object in his right hand; rectangular slot on the reverse. 205 grams, 15.8 cm



Private collection Mr T.B., Zürich, Switzerland, before 1970. with Galerie Rhéa, Zurich, Switzerland.